A list of comic books I have recently enjoyed.

I feel like I've already documented my love of anything written by Warren Ellis, Adam Warren or Gail Simone. So, to shake it up a bit, I'd like to mention a few other comics I've been really digging as of late.

1. Agents of ATLAS.

Finally started reading it thanks to everyone's recommendations and man, is it ever crazy comic book fun. I haven't seen a team this gleefully eclectic, original and well-written since Runaways first came out.

2. Incognito

Noir meets supervillainy with a well-written back-up feature about a pulp icon in each action-packed book. Woof. I feel like I need a cigarette after every issue.

3. Captain Britain and MI-13

Paul Cornell made me like Meggan, for crissakes. MEGGAN. Or as I should now call her, Gloriana. I haven't been this surprised since Warren Ellis made me enjoy reading about Kitty Pryde. Damn shame this book's getting the axe, even if some folks weren't entirely surprised by the news. Find the trades if you can, you won't be disappointed.

4. Incredible Hercules

The Marvel superhero afterlife as a casino. A diner where the gods meet to have discussions. Really, it's the little touches like this and consistent humor that make this book a must-read month after month. As soon as I have the cash, I am so picking up the trades.

5. Thor

Pretty much what I said for Incredible Hercules, only more low-key. A solid read. I'm gonna be a bit bummed to see JMS' run end.

5. JSA Vs. Kobra: Engines of Faith

I don't usually read the JSA (I'm not enough of a DCU fanatic to even know who half of this superpowered Brady Bunch are) but I'm reading this with glee. On the face of it, a story about an atheist versus a group of religious fanatics might sound a little too on-the-nose. It's not. This well-plotted, interesting and suspenseful mini-series is yet another reason why Eric Trautmann deserves his own ongoing series (and why they should never have kicked him and Greg Rucka off of Checkmate). Plus, it finally gives us an update on the fate of Sasha Boudreaux after Final Crisis: Resist. *sniff*

6. Power Girl

Amanda Conner's art, you guys. She could illustrate the phone book and I'd buy it and be amused. The story's okay so far, I suppose. There's a money/ape villain, which always charms me. Needs more of Karen's Cat hurting people, tho'. I've loved that filthy, angry cat since the Giffen era of the JLA/JLE - which is another great series coincidentally out in trade. Severely worth your time, folks. Take Greg Rucka's word for it if you don't believe me.

Maybe I'm just getting old and cranky

Okay, so yeah - Secret Invasion. Skrulls replacing Marvel heroes. Having done so for decades, apparently. Spooooooooky. *eye roll* Putting aside the violent "First Night In Federal Prison"-style violations this'll end up giving Marvel Continuity, I have another big question . . .

The Skrulls have got a bunch of the heroes captured. They've got a foolproof way to replace them. They then replace the captured heroes in a totally seamless way. Congratulations, Skrulls! So why then, pray tell, do you keep the original copies ALIVE? To draw marker mustaches on them and take pictures? Keeping them Tupperware fresh for a Disney Style "Hall of Conquered Enemies"? I mean, really, this makes no freakin' sense to me.


I'm just gonna huddle down with a scowl and maybe a drink until this is all over - all the while quietly hoping they don't muck up the lives of Teddy from Young Avengers and Xavin from Runaways too badly with all this nonsense.



And if Emma Frost, Jennifer Jones, Daredevil or anybody else I actually give a crap about is suddenly a Skrull, I am going to cut the amount of Marvel Comics I buy in half. I only collect roughly 13 Marvel titles a month, so whittling that down to 6 titles is not that big of a challenge. Let's say Daredevil, X-Factor, Ellis' Astonishing X-Men, Runaways, one of Fraction's titles, and, in a fit of irony, Powers - done and done. I'm not going to be one of Those Guys who froths at the mouth and declares a boycott but they're definitely going to get me to avoid the major corners of the Marvel U in the near future. Especially if the word "Skrull" in ANY way further ruins the Jessica Jones/Luke Cage relationship (don't even get me started on that one). I'm just so damn tired of mega-crossovers making shockwaves in my books (and yeah, I'm looking at you too, DC - damn well better be "Final Crisis". My wallet can't take much more of this).



I know this is trying to be fun and campy. I get it, I do. But I'm sorry, this Skrull stuff is just . . . ugh. With the flat-out stomping on of old stories to make way for the goofiness of little green men from space, I just can't get into this one. Sorry Bendis & Co.



You know, the funny thing is, I used to like giant Marvel Crossovers. Really! I totally did. Secret Wars and um . . . Secret Wars II! Okay, three giant Marvel Crossovers at least. Remember Acts of Vengeance? That was utterly awesome. Villains versus heroes they never fought before! Beautiful in it's simplicity, really. I freakin' loved Acts of Vengeance.



. . . of course, I was 12 around the time those came out.

God, I'm old.

And bitter.

I'm an old, bitter fanboy.

Things I'm Buying This Week

Booster Gold #6 - Meet the Beetles begins here, apparently.

Checkmate #22 - Love, love, love this series. Greg Rucka roxxors my soxxors. He's even started a secret blog for this series, to the delight of us superhero spy nerds everywhere. I still miss Queen & Country but this eases the pain greatly.


Marvel Comics Presents #5 - I have a fondness for the old series and I've liked this new version quite a bit. The Hellcat and police detective stories have been very good, even if the others haven't really made me jump up and down with glee. In any case, I wholeheartedly encourage any series that gives more of a chance for new writers and artists to really get creative and put out 8-page shorts.

New Warriors #8 - I'm liking this series more than I ever planned or wanted to. It's just damned interesting to see the Initiative being fought with guerrilla style PR tactics. Plus, Jubilee gets to be the 2nd-in-command of something, which is awesome. Not as awesome as Team Jubilee would be but hey, I like Night Thrasher, so I'm okay with that.

Fell #9 - I've been waiting for this one. Fell's my favorite Ellis comic currently on the shelves and it's cheap too! Try a copy today, whydonchya?

Angel: After The Fall #3 - I'm not as into the art on this "Angel Season 6" comic as I am into the art on "Buffy Season 8" but Brian Lynch & Joss Whedon are clearly having fun. I'm liking it a lot but I'm not loving it. The 'in media res' nature of the storytelling isn't helping me very much when it comes to getting fully into the story. Maybe it's because Buffy didn't end on such a huge honkin' cliffhanger? I dunno.